Reality
by Dp-Marvel94
Summary: For Ecotober, Week 5. A Continuation of Change. In which two realities converge as Danny chooses to change his past and his future.


For Ecotober, Week 5

What if the evil alternative Danny for TUE had a tiny bit of humanity left? Would it be enough to change his past? To change himself? To change reality?

Part 2: In which two realities converge as Danny chooses to change his past and his future.

Note: This is a continuation of Change. It turned out way longer than I expected at about 9,200 words but I'm really happy with it. There is some kinda complicated time travel/alternate reality stuff in this story so if you have any questions, feel free to ask me! Please let me know what you think!

Phantom flew back towards Fentonworks. After taking about an hour to clear his head, he returned more confident of his plan. He had shut down those stupid human emotions invoked by seeing his sister and hearing that she had known his past self's secret. Those wouldn't bother him anymore as he moved forward. All he had to do was stay focused for the next hours, then this would be over. He'd never have to think about this again.

The ghost phased into his old bedroom in Fentonworks and transformed back into his human disguise. As much as he wanted to fly around all night and maybe commit some light destruction, he didn't want to risk the Fenton parents finding that their son was missing. As it was already 10 pm, he would stay in, laying on the bed and pretending to sleep until the sound of the parent's voices downstairs silenced and they feel asleep. He grabbed a book as casually flipped through it, trying to avoid any potentially emotion provoking thoughts.

But he couldn't really help but think. This was so boring. It was so quiet, the house dark. He could probably get up now…but the bed was soft and warm. He'd really felt so comfortable and warm in years. Maybe he could stay here a few…more….minutes. Yeah that would be fine. Why….did his eye….feel heavy? What…..?

_He's in some metal chamber, being electrocuted. Vlad smirks. A white haired girl who looks like him saves him._

_Sam, Tucker, and him flying in the Fenton Jet away from the GIW_

_A yeti training him…..with his ice powers? He's freezing a giant, green, viney ghost._

_Sneaking into Vlad's mansion with the Red Hunteress. The white haired girl melting, no she's okay. They hug._

_Watching 'the Distasteriod' coverage on the news. Vlad reveals himself to the world, promising to save them but fails. _

_Kissing Sam at the South Pole. He and a bunch of other ghost's turning a huge metal structure intangible, it spreading to the whole world._

_Revealing himself to his parents, they hug him in ghost form_

_A ceremony in Amity Park, kissing Sam in the park._

_His parent and Jazz hugging him and a girl with black hair like him. The girl transforms and the two race._

_A trip to Disney World with Sam, Tucker, Jazz, and the other halfa_

_High school graduation. Carrying a box into a college dorm_

_A date with Sam at a restaurant, dancing at a bar._

_Late night studying, too much Monster and candy_

_Throwing his decorated graduation cap in the air, _

_A trip to Paris with Sam, he gets down on one knee. Sam walking down the aisle. _

_He's in the control room at Nasa, cheering as a rocket launches._

_Dancing with a very pregnant Sam, Holding a baby with icy blue eyes_

The ghost slowly blinked awake, groaning as sunlight shined on his face. It was morning already? Had…had he actually fallen asleep? He hadn't slept in years. He was a ghost, he didn't need something so human to function. He rolled onto his side and slowing sat up. His still peach colored hands came into few. And he hadn't transformed back into his true form? And those images that had flashed through his mind. Hallucinations? Or….dreams? No, those couldn't have been dreams. He did not dream, only humans dream. He shook his head, frowning. It was being in this stupid room, in this stupid house, in this stupid form. That was it. And it's not like those images made any sense. Another halfa that looked like him, the disasteroid, Vlad revealing himself to the world, marrying Sam? That…all of that was ridiculous. Impossible. It was almost like…..another reality. Like the future he could have had.

_It's the life we should have had_. The voice from last night whispered across the ghost's thoughts again and he shivered, balling his fists. No. No. NO. NO. He was not doing this again. He would not be enticed by thoughts of what could never be. The past, his past could not change! He might as well guarantee it will happen.

The disguised ghost growled and suddenly stood up. He needed to get out of here, head to the school so he could cheat on that stupid test. Not bothering to change clothes, the ghost pounded down the steps. He came to a stop in front of the door and reached for the door knob.

"Danny! you're up early."

Phantom turned around, managing to suppress a growl. His mother, with bed-disheveled hair and actually in pajamas for once, stood with a slight surprised expression on her face. The annoyed expression on his face softened slightly at seeing her.

He swallowed. "Yeah, I am."

She raised her eyebrows. "You weren't trying to sneak out without breakfast, were you?"

Unconsciously, the ghost's arm went to the back of his neck. "No, of course not."

The mother just rolled her eyes. "I've told you a thousand times. You can't keep skipping breakfast." She walked towards him, gently putting her arm around him. "Come on. I'll make you something. You still have plenty of time before you need to be at school."

He resisted the urge to shy away from the contact. He bit his lip. "Yeah, sure."

The mother started walking him towards the table and motioned him to sit down. She then turned towards the fridge, busily gathering ingredients while babbling at him. The ghost stared at the table. What was wrong was him? Had he felt…nervous earlier?! He was acting like a freaking teenager. He frowned, a teenager who apparently couldn't even curse in his thoughts. He needed to get out of here.

Then he looked up at his mother humming in front of the oven. She was making eggs, softly scrambled, the way he liked him. He …didn't even know he remembered that. But…he should still just leave.

Just stay, let her make you breakfast. That voice again. But this time he listened.

He idly chatted while she made food, forcing himself to smile and laugh at parts of the conversation. She turned towards the table with two plates of eggs and cinnamon rolls. "Here you go sweetie."

The ghost picked at the food. His mother raised her eyebrows. "Aren't you going to eat?"

He glanced up, voice neutral. "I'm not hungry." Of course he wasn't hungry. He didn't need to eat.

"Are you feeling nervous about the test?" She asked kindly.

He tissked, waving her off. "No. of course not."

She just chuckled. "It's alright to be nervous Danny." She reached towards him ruffling his hair. "You are going to do great. Just try your best."

"Mom!" The ghost whined, as he shook off her hand. Then he mentally winced noticing his tone. Why did he keep acting like this?

The mother just laughed at his reaction and continued eating. "Do at least try and eat sweetie, okay?"

"Okay." The tone was neutral as the ghost tried to push down any emotional reaction to her motherly concern. He tentatively chewed and swallowed the food, avoiding his mother's eyes. The surrealness of the situation hit him again; he was having breakfast with his mother, the first home cooked meal in ten years…and the last one ever for him. A feeling prickled in his chest again but he quickly shut it down.

Once his plate was clean, Phantom stood up and took it to sink without a thought. He grabbed the backpack from the floor and put it on. He tried to sound nonchalant but his voice wavered with….some emotion he couldn't identify. "I need to get going. I'll see you later."

The mother tilted her head questioningly. Did…did she sense something was wrong? Had he let something slip? Something that felt distantly like anxiety spiked. His mom's face then softened with compassion and she reached out and hugged him. The ghost stiffened at the action.

"I love you so much sweetie. And I'm so proud of you."

"What?" He whispered, as his eyes widened.

The mother pulled away and then cupped the disguised ghost's face. "I know you've been putting a lot of pressure on yourself about this test. But I promise your father and I will be proud of you no matter how you do. Just do your best, okay?"

He nodded, speechless. And his eyes weren't watering, no they definitely were not. Nope, that wasn't happening.

_She won't be proud of you if she knew what you've done and what your planning to do._

Very real guilt spiked and he closed his eyes trying to block out everything, her loving eyes, his feelings, even the sound of the cars driving by. He couldn't do this. He could think like that. He stepped back, shaking his head. Phantom opened his eyes, focusing on the now confused woman in front of him.

"I.. I need to go."

Then he turned and fled, slamming the door as his mother cried. "Wait! Danny!"

He ignored her. That wasn't his name and that wasn't his mom. His mom could never be proud of a monster like him.

Phantom flew to the school invisibly in his true form. He landed in a bathroom, transforming again. With 20 minutes before the tests, the ghost cursed himself. After he had transformed into his true form, those stupid emotions- the sadness, the guilt- had receded. That morning had been a mistake. He shouldn't have indulged her, shouldn't have let himself enjoy that. He shouldn't have let himself remember what it felt like to be loved. It didn't matter, none of it. His friends and family would be dead in a few hours and it wouldn't matter because he can't change anything.

He…he was a monster and couldn't change that. Those words, the love and pride, those weren't for him anyway. They were for his past self, a stupid boy who would loss everything and soon die. It had already happened to him and would happen again.

Balling his fists, the ghost furiously shook his head. All he needed to do was go in there and cheat on the test. And that would be that. Mr. Lancer would call his parents, leading all of them to the Nasty Burger.

Throwing the door open, Phantom strolled through the door. With his shoulders back and standing as tall as he could in his faux human form. This was something he had to do. No one could stop him and when he was done, he'd return to his future, the powerful ghost he was supposed to be. It's not like he actually needed or wanted anyone else.

He walked into the room and there was Mr. Lancer, right up front. He looked annoyed, clearly not wanting to be here on a Saturday morning. He eyed the disguised ghost suspiciously. Phantom raised his eyebrow at that but then remembered. Lancer knew about him having the answers. He gave the teacher a confident grin. The man narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

Then Sam and Tucker came in, Sam with a paper coffee cup. She sipped it and then looked at Phantom. "Are you ready for this? You look confident."

He leaned back, actually feeling cocky. "Yeah. I've never been more ready."

Sam and Tucker looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Then Sam's eyes fell to the envelope peeking out the top of Phantom's backpack. Her face turned down into a frown. "You're still going to-"

Sam was cut off by Mr. Lancer's voice. "Everyone take a seat and we'll get started."

Tucker and Sam sat down, Sam glancing at the ghost with a disappointed look. Tucker looked shocked.

During the instructions the two kept glancing at him with shocked, disappointed, and mildly angry looks. What were their problems?! This was his decision! And it's not like he had another choice.

_Yes, you do. You don't have to do this!_

That voice returned and the ghost resisted the urge to growl. Yes he did! He couldn't change the past. He needed to make sure his future happened.

About 30 minutes later, after Mr. Lancer gave the instructions for the test, the disguised ghost sat at a desk, staring at the paper.

_Please. Just tell Mr. Lancer you have the answers. You don't have to do this._

Yes I do! He mentally growled. Glancing around to make sure that no one was watching, the ghost slowly pulled the sheet out of the bag. Mr. Lancer walked by just then and the ghost quickly hide the cheat under the desk.

_You don't have to cheat! Just tell Mr. Lancer!_

Shaking his head, the ghost ignored the voice. Looking around one more time, he smirked at the test sheet. Then glancing at the answer sheet he started filling in correct answers.

Tuck glanced to the side, hissing at him in shock. "You can't cheat. If you cheat we…"

"Shhh." Sam shushed them.

Mr. Lancer turned, glaring at them. "Mr. Foley, Mr. Fenton." All three 'teenagers' looked up. "Is there a problem?

"Ummmm" The ghost glanced over at the other two, who stared back looking disappointed.

_Yes, there is a problem! Tell him you have the answers!_ The voice shouted, as the words bounce around his head. He gritted his teeth and managed to utter pretty confidently. "No problem at all."

For the next few minutes, the voice in his head and his friends remained silent though, they still glanced at him disappointed. Hearing a noise from outside, he looked to the door, seeing Jazz frowning at him through the door. With barely a thought, he made an invisible duplicate of his true form. As the copy dived through the floor, the original still in human form scowled at her. Turning most of his focus away from the test and on dealing with Jazz, Phantom slipped up behind and shocked Jazz as she pulled out the Fenton Peeler. She screamed and collapsed on the floor, passing out. The invisible ghost grabbed her by the ankles and started trying to drag her away.

_Really? You're going to drag here! At least have the decency to carry her!_

The invisible ghost sneered. Decency? Like he had any decency.

_She's your sister! You don't have to be cruel!_

Phantom froze at that thought. This was his big sister (all though, right now he was older than her, that's a weird thought). He had terrified her last night and now she had been trying to help. There was no reason to be rough with her. The ghost picked up the girl and carried her over his shoulder like he had last night. Invisibly, he flew out of the school, into the parking lot, and to Jazz's car. He placed her in the driver's seat. She'd be out for a few hours at least. Blinking, the duplicate faded from existence as all of Phantom's consciousness returned to his body.

Back at the desk, the disguised ghost focused back on filling out answers and trying to ignore the disappointed glances from his friends.

_Really? You're okay with disappointing them, Mom and Dad, Jazz, even Mr Lancer._

He mentally groaned again. That again really? It didn't matter. He ignored the wiggling guilt. He had been so confident in his plan earlier, right? He still had to do this. He sat up straighter, taking an unnecessary breathe. All he needed to do was ignore that feeling, that voice. If he acted confident, then maybe he would be.

_Yeah, good luck ignoring me._

Phantom resisted the urge to cringe at the sarcastic tone. He gathered his things in the backpack and stood up. He silently walked to the front, clutching his test paper. Making a point of standing straight, he strolled to Mr. Lancer's desk. He slapped the paper down and smirked challengingly at Mr. Lancer.

"Finished already, Mr. Fenton?" The teacher replied flatly.

_This is your chance. Tell him you cheated._

Ignoring that comment, he leaned on the desk, making a show of being threatening despite the small tingle of nervousness.. "Is that a 'problem'?"

_Yes, that is a problem. Give him the test answers, now!_

Will you shut up? He mentally yelled back. Meanwhile, Mr. Lancer glanced at the paper and then at the smirking face in front of him. "How should I know? I don't have all the answers." He paused, voice as biting as the ghost's "Do you?"

_Tell him you have the answers! You don't have to do this!_

The ghost struggled to keep his smirk with the mental onslaught. He stepped back, narrowing his eyes, though he wasn't sure if it was at Lancer or the voice in his head. Walking to the door, he gave one last smirk over his shoulder as he exited.

_No! NO! Get back there! Tell him what you did! You can still stop this! They don't have to die!_

A spike of pain, like a headache, surged at the volume of the voice screaming in his head. One hand went up to clutch his head. Shut up! He mentally screamed in response.

_No! You shut up! Go back! GO back! Tell Mr. Lancer!_

The volume only increased. The ghost stumbled down the hallway. He needed to escape! Being in his true form could relieve this, whatever it was. He practically ran to the bathroom, shedding his human disguise.

In his true form, his head was blissfully quiet, only him, with not other screaming thoughts begging him to act. Or reminding him of his guilt. He flew around invisibly for about an hour. It was only about noon now and Mr. Lancer had his parents meet him at the Nasty Burger at 4 so he had about 4 more hours to kill in the past. Well, not literally kill. Strangely, he had no desire to hurt or destroy anyone in this time, except for his friends and family of course. But that was necessary.

Until he needed to be back at Fentonworks, he would just fly around then, observing this little pocket of life before his world and then the whole world was destroyed. He smirked, noticing no spike of guilt or grief coursed through him at the thought. Like he thought, the stupid emotions he had felt earlier and the voice had been the result of staying in his mock human form. He'd just have to stay in this form until this was over then.

Floating over the park, Phantom decided to fly closer. He came across thick wooded area in the middle, where he had played a lot as a child. He studied it with a serious eye. It wasn't that bad of a place. There wasn't a lot of wooded areas or plants in general in his time. He had destroyed most of those. Maybe when he returned, he should also find some of those natural areas that were left. Maybe even try to enjoy them.

He flew a little farther, finding the set of swings Sam, Tucker, and him played on as kids. Something like nostalgia spiked in his chest. He growled. Then he came to a hill in the middle of the park. It overlooked town hall, where Walker had used the mayor to frame him. Phantom was still angry about that, not that his reputation had been ruined but that Walker had won. He had made sure to make the Warden pay after he became a full ghost.

Looking at the hill, he realized something else. This spot, it's the hill he had kissed Sam on, in his dream. He frowned. That dream, it had felt so real, so tangible. Like he had actually lived it. But he hadn't ever kissed Sam except for Fake-out makeouts. But the other parts of the dream: more kisses, dates, proposing, getting married, having a kid. That….that hadn't happened. It never would. And…and he didn't care that it wouldn't. No he didn't. He didn't care if he had never gotten to tell his parents about his ghost half, or graduate high school, or travel the world, or worked at NASA. That life wasn't his.

But…it had felt real. Maybe it had been real. Maybe he glimpsed another reality, another life for a different version of himself. But…but that was ridiculous. Things like that weren't real! Plus, plus He was ghost. He didn't have or want friends and family. Something lurched in his chest as his thoughts turned panicked. But he did. He did want that! But he wasn't human. He was dead, dead.

With a start, he realized he was on his hands and knees on the ground. Without his mind's permission, the white rings formed around his waist. He felt his body shirk and soon he was staring at his small peach-colored human looking hands. He…he hadn't commanded his body to transform. How…how did that happen? His chest lurched painfully again and emotions he had pressed down since the school welled up. And….and was his face wet? What…how did that happen? His breath came in and out rapidly. Wait breath? He didn't need to breath. But despite that he gasped for breath. His chest lurched again, sending a wave of pain through his body. More sadness welled. His shaking arms, no longer able to support his body, Phantom rolled onto his side, his vision blurry. Were those…tears? His chest lurched again and a whine burst from his lips. Another lurch and more burning pain. What…what was happening to him?

With a shaking hand, the ghost placed his palm on his chest. He gulped in another breathe as his chest lurched again. Something shuttered under his hand, within his chest. Not pulsing like his core, but contracting and then relaxing. His shaking hand gently pressed down. Another lurch and the same feeling. It…it was almost like….. A heart beat. In his chest, like a heart was trying to beat there.

No! No! NO! That…that's not. NO. He was a ghost. Not human. Yes maybe a tiny tiny bit of humanity remained in him. But not enough for this! Another beat. NO! No. And his human half was dead! Phantom had killed him! It had been brutal, in a fit of rage after his re-creation. Part revenge for being rejected by even his own human half, by himself. And part suicide, a mercy killing of his human self who couldn't bare to live any longer. And that had cursed him! He'd never died properly, too much of a coward to die as himself, as Danny Fenton. Instead, he'd killed himself but still remained.

But now…but now, his human half's heart, Phantom's own heart, was trying to beat in his chest. But….he'd ripped out this heart with his own hands! It had been incinerated when he blew up Vlad's mansion. But now it was here. It was back!

_Shhhh there, there. Being part human again wouldn't be so horrible would it._

The thought shook the ghost out of his panic. "You!" He whispered, voice still shaking a little. "Who are you?"

_I'm you._

There was a short authentic chuckle before the statement. "I don't believe you."

_Really, you can feel you're not possessed so who else could I be?_

That…that was true. He had been possessed before so knew the feeling of another consciousness fight for control of his body, but whatever this was, it wasn't that. Another thought trickled through his mind- the sleeping, eating, breathing, the heart struggling to beat….the human emotions.

"Are…are you my human half?"

_You killed your human half._

That…wasn't answer. "Then who are you.? And how is this happening?"

Another chuckle. _That's….complicated. _

The vague answer made the ghost prickle with anger. "Tell me what's happening!"

_You'll know soon enough._

The ghost just growled.

_But…I'll give you a clue. Time Medallions only work as the Master of Time wills them._

"What does that have to do with anything?" Then it dawned on him, that's how he traveled to the past, with a time medallion. Which means….Clockwork knew this would happen. "Clockwork did this?!"

_Welll….not directly. You did…. and will. But Clockwork helped._

"He….he played me!" The ghost growled. He remained in human form but the lurching and the urge to breathe had stopped. Sitting up, the ghost fumed. He'd played right into Clockworks hand! Was…was there even a point in going forward now? He, Phantom, still wanted to, no needed to exist. That was the problem, self preservation was such a huge part of his Obsession, he couldn't not act. After all, the reason he had split himself instead of just dying as a halfa was he'd wanted to exist in some form, just without the painful emotions.

He forced his body into his true form, feeling the previously raging emotions quiet as the pain in his chest disappeared. He'd go on with the plan, and no voice in his head, part of him or alternate version of himself or whatever, would stop him.

About 3 o clock, Phantom headed back to Fentonworks, more determined than ever to preserve his future. Landing in an alley, he changed into his human disguise. He braised for the onslaught of emotions and the voice to return.

_You know, you still have time. You could go back to the Nasty Burger right now and deal with those vates._

The voice was calm this time. Trying to actually reason with him? And he noticed something else. While earlier, it had sounded like his 14 year old human self, now it sounded…older? Still without a ghostly echo, but lower than before but not as low as his natural baritone, and without his normal maliciousness.

_I can hear you, you know. But seriously, if you deal with the vates now, this will be less painful for you, both times._

What do you mean both times? The voice remained silent.

Entering Fentonworks again, he was greeted by his parents, who were worried after receiving a call from Mr. Lancer saying to meet him at the Nasty Burger at 4. An awkward 45 minutes later (after several pleas by the voice to go deal with the vates of Nasty Sauce or to tell them about the cheating or call Lancer to meet elsewhere), Phantom found himself sitting in the backseat of the Fenton RV, heading to the Nasty Burger. This was it, show time. Within 30 minutes, this would be over and his fate would be sealed. And nothing, not Clockwork's manipulations, some voice in his head, or anything else would stop him.

Pulling up to the restaurant to find Mr. Lancer standing with crossed arms in front of the door, his mom turned back to face him. "Mr. Lancer sounded urgent on the phone. Danny, is something wrong?"

He smirked in the backseat, feeling confident. "Not yet."

_Seriously, do you have to make everything sound sinister?_

He mentally growled. You can't stop me. Only silence.

Phantom stepped out of the vehicle with the Fenton parents. The three gathered with Lancer near the Restaurant's door. Lancer motioned around them. "Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, Daniel, this is the Nasty Burger. When people fail, this is where they end up– whether they fail because they don't study, or because they cheat."

The parents gasped, facing turning down in disappointment.

"Danny! Is this true?" "Did you cheat?"

Guilt and sadness prickled at there reactions but disappear as Sam and Tucker came running up.

"You have to get out of here!" Sam shouted.

"The Nasty Burger's gonna blow, and we're three feet from it!" Tucker gestured.

With his typical book-related expletives, Lancer exclaimed. "South Beach Diet, people, what's going on here!"

_You get them away to safety right now. Save them! _The voice pleaded.

The panicked exchange, and growling at the voice, momentarily distracted Phantom. The sound of metal steps reicashade through the parking lot. "I'll tell you what's going on." Phantom's head whipped around, focusing on Jazz in the Fenton Peeler. His face flashed with surprise and then anger. He had definitely not expected her to show up but that's what he gets for revealing himself to her.

_But doesn't your 'plan' depend on her dying too?_

He was distracted from responding by Jazz exclaiming. "Or better yet, I'll show you." Squeezing the trigger on the Peeler, Jazz shoot him. His disguise shed away, painfully, peeling off of him like someone literally skinned him. Everyone else gasped in shock "That's not Danny!"

He gritted his teeth at the residual pain and her statement. That was a little hurtful. He was Danny, just not the present Danny…..Wait

Before he could think about that, his parent's trained their weapons on him angrily.

"Where is he? Where's our son?" "What have you done to our boy?"

The ghost focused his mother. "I am your boy." Though he meant the words to be intimidating, they came out annoyed and vaguely …hurt.

Her jaw dropped. "What?"

Phantom sprung up into the air, floating away from them. Briefly an image of eating breakfast with her this morning and a thousand other memories sprang up. "What kind of parents are you anyway? The world's leading ghost experts, and you couldn't figure out your own son was half ghost!" He sneered, old resentment that they never paid attention to him enough to notice welled up. The parents just stared at him stunned, but don't lower their weapons. Phantom cocked his eyebrow, still sounding vexed. "Hello? Danny 'Fenton'? Danny 'Phantom'? Ever notice the similarity?"

His Mom's mouth remained open in shook but his Dad yelled. "Liar! Don't move!"

Holding his arms out dramatically, Phantom sneered. "Actually, nobody's going anywhere. Not until it's time for you to be blown everywhere."

_Seriously! Do you have to sound so malicious? Like a freaking cartoon villain!_

That was …really sadistic, even for him. He shook the thought away, flinging sticky ectoplasm at the parents, Sam, Tucker, and Mr. Lancer. The conjured ropes bound them to the tank.

_Don't do this! Let them go!_

The volume made him cringe in a flash of pain. Distracted, He floated lower and failed to gag the other's before Jazz tried to punch him from behind. Using ghostly body manipulation, Phantom formed a hole in his torso around her fist. She gasped, pulling her hand back as if burned.

"Nice try, Jazz." His chest reformed and he turned his head completely around (a little trick copied from horror movies Sam, Tucker, and him loved as teenagers). "But me, my future" he turned the rest of his body around. "I'm inevitable."

_No it's not! You're not!_

He cringed again at the volume, white hot pain slicing through his head. Jazz tried to shoot him again but he dodged. Quickly duplicating, he surrounded her, pulling off her helmet and gagging her.

_NO! Let her go! She's your sister!_

"Shut up!" He growled, squinting in pain as he refused. He lassoed her with ectoplasmic rope and lifting her telekinetically to join the others. As he approached the boilers, pain flared again.

_Stop this! Let them go! This doesn't have to happen!_

"Yes it does! I can't change this!" He shouted. The whole time, the ungagged people had been shouting and crying to be let go. Mr. Lancer yelling actual explicative containing book titles, the Fenton Parent vowing to tear him apart, and Sam and Tucker demanding to know what he did to Danny. They silenced at his exclamation, eyes widening. Sam and Tucker looked at each other, in understanding.

"Yyyyyeess you can….. This doesn't have to happen." Tucker's voice waved, as he stared.

_He's right! Please! You can save them! _The ghost's hands went to his head, at another pain spike.

"Danny." Sam's soft voice said the name. "You can change this. We don't have to die!"

_Please listen to Sam! Your friends, your family don't have to die._

Hands trying to grip hair that was flickering out of his grip, he muttered. "No they have to die. I can't do anything!"

Just then, a black and white body slammed into him, knocking Phantom into the street about a block away. He sat up, out of the crater created by his body impacting the asphalt. He focused on the figure floating in front of his tied up friends and family. It was…his past self? How did he get back to this time? Had Clockwork intervened, again? Shaking the thought away, he flew up. Whatever happened, he needed to keep his past self from interfering.

_Don't you dare! Let him save them!_

Growling again, Phantom heard the past version of himself vow. "Don't worry. I won't turn into that. Ever. I promise."

As if. His past self didn't have a choice. Phantom was inevitable. Flying up behind the halfa, the older ghost shoot an ectoplasmic rope, ensnaring his past self. He pulled the halfa to himself and held him up by his collar.

_Let him go!_

The voice yelled, as Danny spat at him. "What are you gonna do? Waste me? What happens to you then?"

"I don't have to kill you." He sneered punching the smaller ghost into a lightpost, his backpack falling off. "I just have to run out the clock until everyone you love dies!"

_This is crazy! Stop this!_

The voice screamed, sending pain through Phantom's head again. In this distraction, the ghost failed to act before his past self shot him with an ectoblast before intangibly diving through the pavement. The older ghost whipped his head around looking for the other ghost.

_Stop fighting him! Let him save our family!_

The scream ignited more white hot pain. He clutched his head and then suddenly he saw the smaller figure fly at him, out of the corner of his eye. Danny snapped a metal belt around the ghost. Phantom screamed as electricity coursed through his body from the belt, amplifying the pain in his head. Then with hands encased in the Ghost Gauntlets, Danny punched the ghost, sending his crashing into an oil truck.

_Please! Stop this! You don't want to do this!_

Just as the scream split the ghost's head, blue flames erupted from the tanker as an explosion rang out. The fire licked at the ghost's skin, adding to the pain of electrocution and he screaming in his head. The ghost gritted his teeth at the pain but sprang up. Furious, he emerged from the flames. Flying at Danny, he ripped off the belt and then roughly grabbed his younger self by the arm. He bared his fangs at the boy, their faces inches apart. "Your time is up, Danny."

He threw the boy on the ground and then pain spiked in his head again. An image of looking at…himself- blue skin, red eyes, flaming hair, fangs- flashed through his mind with a surge of terror and anger.

What…what was that? A memory? Or…. he and Elle could sometimes exchange images and emotions through touch. Wait…who's Elle?

He startled out of his thoughts by another punch, from his younger self. The ghost went flying into another building.

_Please! GO save our family! Time's almost up! _

Phantom's head burned in pain again. He growled and teleported away, crashing into his past self. Quickly duplicating, the ghost punched his past self, knocking the boy to the ground. One of his duplicated kicked the fallen boy and another shot him. Danny flew up but was punched in the jaw and kicked again.

_Stop! How can you do this?! You monster!_

The voice begged, sounding tear-filled. Pain flashed through Phantom's head again as he clutched it. Danny then body slammed him again, knocking the ghost down and landing on his back side him.

"Why are you doing this?!" Danny cried at the ghost, desperately.

Phantom hissed. "What makes you think you can change my past?!"

Getting up, Phantom kicked the other ghost again. Danny, now bruised and bleeding, struggled to crawl away. "I promised! I promised I won't turn into you!"

The response had anger flair again, through another wave of pain flowed through his head and into his chest as the voice yelled something unintelligibly. Phantom baring his fangs again, the ghost fell onto the fallen boy, pinning Danny down by his arms. "You don't get it, do you? I'm still here. I still exist. That means you still turn into me."

The boy's eyes flashed with terror at the red eyes and fangs inches from his face. The terror and dread surged into the ghost from the contact, adding to the pain from the screaming voice.

_NO! He doesn't turn into you! He won't! Never!_

The intense anger in the statement caused the ghost's face to crunch up in pain. "Yes! He will! I have to exist! I have too!"

The currently squirming boy swiftly kicked the ghost in the stomach, sending him flying.

He stood, favoring one leg. "I wouldn't turn into you. I PROMISED!" The last words range out turning into a ghostly wail, the waves of sound sending the ghost flying.

The waves vibrate around, through, and inside Phantom. The pain in his head and body crescendo. He's…he's on fire, falling apart. How…how did his past self do that?

_The future and past can change. You loss._

The anger and confidence in the statement burned through the ghost's mind. His body, his mind, his very soul, was on fire. The pain centered on his chest and something beat. His past self flew in front of him with the thermos in one hand. He released another wail, full of all the terror, anger, fear, and desperation he's felt in the last day. It resonated in Phantom. His…mind….his memories were fragmenting. He's on fire. It hurt so much. What's happening? Where…where is he? Who…who is he? Then everything went white.

He was looking up at the sky. It's blue. Someone's yelling. He sat up, a yell means someone's in danger right? His eyes focused on something, a building, boilers, people tied up. He had to save them!

In the blink of an eye, he teleported in front of the figures. His eyes widened at the fearful eyes. The boilers were quivering as the heat indicator goes red. He touched the person in the middle, wrapping his ghostly tail around the rest. Just as the heat flared and muffled screams increased, he turned everyone intangible and teleported the group away.

With a stumble, the group feel suddenly finding themselves 50 feet away. As there was a flash of light and a boom, the people, including the ghost covered their ears and shut their eyes. The human huddled on the ground, try to avoid debris. Sighing in relief at seeing everyone was safe, the ghost turned around. His eyes widened at the now spreading fire. Turning intangible and flying above the flames, his eyes turned blue. He pushed the cold from his core, quenching the fire with his ice.

Wait this ice….He doesn't have ice powers, just fire. He stared at the blue glow of his hands. Yes…yes he does. He got them when he fought Undergrowth. He then stared at the back of his gloved hands. His gloves were white. Hadn't they been black? He shook his head. No they were always white in ghost form. He must have been thinking about before the portal accident. The original version of this suit had black that must have been that.

And where was he? What had happened?

Then he heard someone crying behind him. He slowly turned around, mind still trying to catch up. The group of humans behind him had escaped their bonds. They were crying and hugging each other. That….that was his Mom and Dad! And Jazz! And Sam and Tucker! And…..Mr. Lancer! They'd…they'd just almost died! But…he'd saved him. They were okay now.

Then his eyes focused on a smaller figure with black hair being hugged by his Mom and Dad. Was that his clone, Elle? No, she'd never had her hair that short. He flew closer trying to see who it was.

Then he heard a gasp. Jazz whipped her head to look at him, her eyes wide with fear. Of him. Why….why was she scared of him?!

"Danny." She hissed, voice ringing with fear as her eyes flit from him to the figure hugging his parents.

The floating ghost frowned. Danny. That…that was his name, right? Yeah, he was Danny. How…how had he forgotten that?! His confusion and distress increased as the figure turned to look at him. Blue eyes, short black hair, lanky teenage body, t shirt and jeans. It…it was himself? But not him right now, him as a teenager. And his teenage self looked terrified. His eyes were wet, with tear tracks on his face and his hands shook with fear.

Actually, everyone, even Mr. Lancer, were staring at him with confused and terrified expression. The ghost's mouth opened and closed as he struggled to form words. They were scared of him! Why?! He didn't want them to be scared, especially not of him. A fleeting thought passed through his mind. They wouldn't be so scared if he was in human form.

Floating down until he was about six inches from the ground but still 20 feet from his family, the ghost mentally prodded his chest of the spark of life that was his human form. His mouth opened in shock when he found it. He was a full ghost! He didn't have a real human form, just the disguise he used earlier. He prodded it again and exhaled. No, it was there. He…he was a halfa again! Wait, again. No he'd been a halfa since he was fourteen, baring that time that he lost his powers during the 'disasteriod' crisis (that had been such a stupid thing to do, what the heck had he been thing?)

He shook those thoughts away, deciding to transform. The rings formed and passed over him, making him heavier, warmer, and more solid. He now sneakered feet touched down, as gravity reengaged.

Then he remembered everything. He'd…he'd tried to kill them, his friends and family! Why would he do that?! In the blink of an eye, images, memories hit him, the emotional weight forcing him to his knees. Watching the Nasty Burger explode, going to live with Vlad, being ripped out of his body and split in half, a surge of rage and power as he consumed Plasmuis, staring into the fear filled eyes of his human half, fighting and maiming other ghosts, fighting Valerie, destroying things-building and trees and people. Oh God there was blood on his hands. Everywhere, what…what had he done? He was a monster…no, no he had been a monster. Part of him had been a monster.

As he started crying, the halfa distantly heard the sound of voices.

"Jazz! No, what if it's a trick?!" Sam yelled.

"It isn't. Trust me." Jazz uttered confidently.

The crying man heard footsteps approaching. "Danny?"

He looked up, the teenage version of his sister was standing in front of him. "Danny?" She asked again, tentatively.

He nodded, furiously. His breath hiccuped as he let out a sob. Eyes wide with confusion but compassionate, the girl knelt in front of the man. She tentatively reached towards him and he reached too. Jazz wrapped her arms around the halfa and he returned the hug, tearing falling onto her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Jazz. I….I almost killed you guys. And I terrified you yesterday and knocked you out! And I did it again this morning! I'm sorry! I love you so much! You're okay, everyone's okay right?" He rambled finally stopping to breathe but still crying.

Jazz was crying too but after a minute, pulled back. She studied his face, visibly confused. "You…you look like an older, human Danny. But your ghost form looked like an older Danny Phantom too. Not the evil one, but tan skin, white hair, green eyes. And your voice is different from….before, not as deep."

He tilted his head at her and looked down at his peach-colored hands. This hand went to his chest, feeling his heartbeat. He smiled at the feeling. He felt like he should be surprised at that. But he wasn't, not at all. He was supposed to be a halfa. And his voice was different?

He hummed, testing out his voice. " My voice does sound different." But….it didn't. It sounded familiar. Like…..the voice in his head earlier! The one begging to save them, that knew this would happen, that Clockwork had intervened. The voice that was him. And he…he was the voice.

"He knew this would happen." He said in amazement.

Jazz titled her head. "Who?"

"Me." He grinned, leaving Jazz confused.

More memories, of another life, a better one than the full-ghost Phantom's filled his head. The one he dreamed of last night. With his parents, Jazz, Sam, Tucker, and his clone- turned sister Elle. He..he was Danny Fenton, and Danny Phantom. He was a son, a brother, a friend, a husband, and now a father. He'd forgotten his daughter! What the heck?

And he then understood what had happened to him. The future Danny looked at Jazz and stood up.

She stared at him, standing herself. "Where are you going?!"

He grinned. "I remember. I understand now."

"Aren't you going to tell me what's going on?!"

"I will but someone else needs to know first."

The older Danny slowly approached his parents, friends, teacher, and …past self. His hands were raised non-threateningly in front of him, while the teenager eyed him warily. Wow, he looked so young, too young to have gone through all this.

When he was five feet away, the young Danny stuttered. "Stop…stop right there."

He raised his hands. "Alright."

Young Danny approached cautiously. "Who are you?"

"I'm you, from the future."

"That's what the other guy said! And he beat me up and tried to kill my family!" The angry tone tinged with hurt.

"I am so sorry you had to go through that. But I promise, I'm not him. He's gone." He stepped closer. "I'm Danny Fenton, from 10 years from now."

The teenager eyed the older figure warily. "How do I know this isn't a trick?"

Older Danny bit his lip."I can show you."

The other's jaw dropped. "How?"

"Ghosts with similar cores can share thoughts and emotions, even memories." He then pointed to his chest and then the younger Danny's. "And my core and yours are literally the same core, just at different ages."

His past self raised his eyebrow and bit his own lip. "Alright. How do we do that?"

The older Danny smiled, gently. "Just bare skin to skin contact." He walked forward. "I'm just going to touch your arm, okay?"

The boy nodded and the man gently took his wrist. Closing his eyes, he gently sent caring and affectionate emotions to the boy, then a burst of memories from the past day- of the future Danny arguing with the evil Phantom to save their family and eventually succeeding. He knew it would be hard to handle but necessary. His past self could handle it, the older Danny had been able to when he was the one getting these memories from his future self.

The boy soon pulled away, falling on his knees with the emotions, crying again. The older Danny caught him before he hit the ground and lowered both of them down. He rubbed the other's back. "You can handle this, Danny. You already have."

The younger halfa looked up. "What?"

"I remember this." The older Danny said. "I remember sitting where you are and having this conversation with…well me."

Young Danny's eyebrow raised. "That means…"

"That I'm your future. You turn into me." While the words were the same ones the other Phantom used, the tone was not malicious at all, but caring, fond even.

Young Danny reached toward and hugged his future self. "I…I changed my future."

"Yeah, you did. We did."

The hug lasted a few moments and then young Danny pulled away. He tilted his head questioningly. "I…uhh..still don't really understand what happened to the other me…us."

"The other Danny was an idiot who got himself erased from existence." The pair turned their heads to face Tucker. He and the others had been silently watching.

The younger Danny stared at his friend. "What the heck does that mean Tucker?"

Tuck shrugged. "The evil you doesn't exist anymore because you changed the past. And he was an idiot because of course you'd not want to be him if he was a homicidal maniac!" He motioned to older Danny. "And I guess he replaced the evil you when you decided you wouldn't turn evil."

The younger Danny rubbed his head. "I am so confused."

His older self patted him on the back. "You'll get it… eventually.. maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Hey, I'm still trying." The older Danny shrugged.

The younger Danny chuckled. Then he turned serious again. "But what about that part about Clockwork being involved?"

"Wait! Clockwork!" Sam's exclamation was cut off when a toddler sized ghost in a purple robe with a literal clock in his chest.

Both Dannys blinked and then sprung to their feet. The younger Danny stared wide eyed but his older self's face broke into a grin. "Grandfather!"

Younger Danny turned and stared at him questioningly. The other Danny rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "That…uhh….hasn't happened yet."

Clockwork smiled at both of them. "Always nice to see you, Daniel and Daniel." His face then turned serious. "It was time to cut off the explanations in front of your family. Can't have them knowing about my involvement too soon."

Young Danny raised his eyebrow at the statement. "So you were involved?"

"Yes Daniel, of course." Clockwork grinned.

"He is the Master of Time, time travel and alternate timelines are his job." The older Danny stated, matter of factly.

Young Danny looked to Clockwork, stunned. "Did…did you plan this?"

He shrugged. "The Observants look at time like they're watching a parade, one thing after another passing by, in sequence right in front of them. I see the parade from above, all the twists and turns it might" He shifted into his elder form. "or might not take." The ghost winked.

The younger Danny gasped. "You knew all this was going to happen. All of it!" He motioned to his older self. "Even this part. Even him."

The ancient ghost morphed into his adult form, nodding. "Everything is as it should be. Though, there remains another matter to attend to." With a flash of blue light, the three teleport after Clockwork pressed a button on his staff.

They briefly flashed to Clockwork's lair, and then are surrounded by desks and students, frozen taking the CAT. Danny's desk was now empty as Clockwork handed the younger Danny the answer sheet. "You've given everyone else a second chance." He morphed into his toddler form. "Why not you?"

After young Danny took the sheet, Clockwork and the older Danny disappeared. The two reappeared in Clockwork's lair and Danny sighed in relief. "I'm glad that whole thing is over now."

Clockwork patted him on the back and then Danny turned to him. "I understand why you didn't tell me the whole truth first time around now. I couldn't have handled it, heck I barely did when you told me months ago. But I'm glad you helped me prepare."

"What didn't I tell you, Daniel?" Clockwork gave him a deadpan look but Danny rolled his eyes. Of course his guardian was doing the "ask questions you already knew the answer to, so Danny will think" thing.

"That Tucker was wrong….or not really right. The other Phantom didn't get erased. Realities just….combined, so I have the evil Phantom's memories now."

"I'm sorry you had to do that, Danny but the only other option was to capture the other Phantom and have him exist outside of time. Which you understand was not an acceptable option."

Danny shivered. "Yeah. He could have escaped. That would have been horrible."

Clockwork also looked haunted, probably thinking of a timeline where that happened. "If it's any consultation, the memories of the time the other Phantom spent in his past will be the only memories that remain clear for you. Most others should fade with time."

Danny rubbed his head. "This is going to take some getting used to. This whole thing is just so weird, like I remember being the evil Phantom this morning, but also the voice that kept yelling at him. It's like I couldn't do anything, just watch him." He shivered again, thinking about what happened. Clockwork had come to get him, exactly ten years to the day after the event. He'd waved his staff and chanted. Then Danny had blinked and he'd been the evil Phantom. Or more like a tiny but growing piece of consciousness inside him. "It was horrible."

Clockwork put his hand on Danny's shoulder. "But you won. This you, the real you. This is who you were always supposed to be."

Clockwork was right, he had eventually grown strong enough to overpower and completely rewrite the evil Phantom. "Really, so I was never supposed to be the other Phantom."

Clockwork grumbled. "Those meddling Observants, sticking their non-existent noses where they don't belong. Of course they would accidentally create the most powerful and evil ghost to ever exist."

Danny's eyes widened. "That was their fault!"

"They plotted to kill you behind my back but killed your family instead, the cheating just happened to occur at the same time. Of course that caused the other Phantom to form. Then they begged me to kill you to destroy him, before he came into existence." Clockwork grinned. "But this was a much better option."

Danny laughed. "Plus it pissed off the Observants."

Clockwork chuckled, morphing into his toddler form. He waved his staff, changed one of his portal screens to Danny's apartment in Amity Park in Danny's time. "Go home, Daniel. Kiss your wife. Hold your baby. You've only been gone for two hours. Samatha is not worrying about where you are, yet."

Danny nodded, looking at his mentor affectionately who morphed into his adult form. He reached for the ghost, receiving a rare hug. "Thank you, Clockwork." He stepped back and with a wave arrived back in his time. Seeing his empty bedroom, just as he left it, he sighed. He was home and everyone was safe. Danny was in the future he was supposed to be, the person he was supposed to be.

To quote Clockwork, everything was as it should be.


End file.
